I'm at Marquette Law School, ironically enough in the Jim Sensenbrenner building, for the second Blog Summit.  Mike Gousha is introducing the first panel, and so far all I can say is that he feels funny saying "blogging" so much.  I think he had to do a lot of research to find out what the heck a "blog" is.

As a small side note, I had a little face time with Charlie Sykes.  Apparently he does know who I am, and even reads my blog, not that any of his readers might know it.  Oh well, that's one more reader I guess.  Also, the Wi-Fi here isn't working, so while I'm blogging offline (not that you'd realize that once this gets posted).  You'd think they would test their internet access for an internet blogging summit.  Mostly I'll just blog some quips and random thoughts as I listen to the panelists...

Is the Media Left or Right?  People on the left always think the mainstream media is conservative... people on the right always think it's liberal.  I think that says more about the people who say these things versus those who actually write for those papers.  I'm also hearing from the first panelists a lot of phrases like "Conservative Blogosphere" and "Progressive Blogosphere"... even in the blog world, everyone seems to split themselves up.  Does this echo chamber effect help or hurt blogs breaking out into the wider world for the average person?

Stories Playing Out in the Blogosphere:  Charlie Sykes is talking about Patrick breaking the story about Michael McGee suggesting people throw bricks at speeding cars.  The story pretty much played out only in the blogosphere, and the paper pretty much ignored it.  I think people who write blogs tend to forget that we don't have that much reach into the non-blog world.  How many people in this country actually read blogs.  If the mainstream media doesn't pick up on a story, how much does it matter that it played out in the blogosphere at all?  As Jay said later, blogs don't vote.  So how do blogs influence real live voters?

The Rule of Five:  I've blogged before about how people can only read so many blogs in a day, but now Charlie Sykes mentioned that he only reads five blogs regularly.  Whether mine is one of them or not is hard to tell.  Charlie, I'd like to introduce you to Google Reader.  It lets you subscribe to these things called feeds which most blogs have, but WTMJ blogs do not support.  It will revolutionize your blog reading.  Seriously.  Your rule of 5 will easily turn into the rule of 50, and it won't take any more time out of your day.

What is the Responsibility of the Average Blogger?  Who are we responsible to, and why?  Seriously.  My blog... my opinion.  Why am I answerable to you for your concerns?

Progressive Bloggers Don't Have a Talk Radio Voice to Get Their Stories Out:  I understand Air America is still taking donations.  If they need a voice, then why hasn't one come up?  We still live in a capitalistic society right?

Blurring the Line Between Journalism & Opinion:  Is that something that bloggers started?  Don't all journalists insert opinion into what they write?  Is the backlash by the mainstream media more a matter of bloggers being honest about being opinionated, as opposed to journalists who simply try to hide it somehow?

Is Society's Attention Span Changing?  Blogs are the perfect outlet for the A.D.D. mind.  We tend to write rather short posts, and do it often.  Yet the media tends to concentrate on blasting one story til we're sick of it, instead of hitting many stories with less impact on each one.

We're in the middle of a short break... and I'm noticing that few of the panelists are sticking around to listen to the other panelists.  For a bunch of media people who are talking about the influence of bloggers, few of them seem to interested in finding out what others think about blogging.  So much for the "conversation" they all were talking about so much.  Even fewer of the "corporate bloggers" stuck around for the last panel that featured "citizen bloggers".

The Legalities of Blogging:  Look... a handout.  How quaint.

"Allowing the Internet to Explode":  That is the phrase used by Jennifer Peterson in regards to the Federal Communications Decency Act.  That phrase sent a chill down my spine.  The government "allowed" bloggers to do something.  We as citizens allow the government to do things, not the other way around.

How the Law Is Wrong:  Jennifer Peterson is talking (as many lawyers do) about precedents and previously decided court cases.  Law should be both predictable and repeatable.  And yet today in regards to the law, we have neither.  You really never know if what you're doing is legal, or whether your liable for some kind of wrong doing.

Eugene Kane's Panel is Up:  Is it just me, or weren't Jessica McBride and Eugene supposed to be on a panel together, and really mix it up?

Diversity in the Blogosphere:  They're talking about a lack of diversity in the blogosphere.  While they may have a point in the mainstream media... with the blogosphere and the fact that there is no gatekeeper in who can start a blog, who's fault is that lack of diversity?  Do we need to ask people to blog in order to "even out" the blogosphere, or make a quota?  Is that our responsibility?

"Politics is a Painful Exercise in Idiocy":  Dasha Kelly... spitfire... well spoken.  Read her blog.

What Are the Barriers to Entry for Blogging?  That is the biggest topic that has come out of the Jay/Owen panel.  Anyone can start a blog, and have their voice out there.  But there is a difference between having your voice out there, and having it heard.  And there is an even bigger difference between having it heard, and having it influence people.  Bloggers need to do more to get their voices out there further, so that it can have more impact which it doesn't have now.

You can see pictures from the event on my Flickr set here.

OK... that's it from here... I'm off to go drinking.